Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printing apparatus, a method of controlling the same, and a storage medium.
Description of the Related Art
With an image forming apparatus, a representative of which being an MFP (multi-function peripheral), in addition to copying and scanning functions, print data described in a page description language (PDL) can be received and printed. When an image forming apparatus prints based on print data described in PDL, there are two processing modes, namely “Rip While Print” and “Rip Then Print”, which are selected based on the PDL data rendering processing and the processing sequence of the print processing. “Rip While Print” is a processing mode in which the image forming apparatus executes the PDL data rendering processing and the print processing in parallel, and when the rendering processing for the first page of image data is complete, the print processing for the first page is started immediately in parallel with the rendering processing for the second page of image data. On the other hand, “Rip Then Print” is a processing mode in which the image forming apparatus starts print processing after the rendering processing for all pages of the input PDL data has ended, and for example, if the print data includes 100 pages of image data, the print processing will not be started until the rendering processing for all 100 pages is complete.
Next, the advantages and disadvantages of the above-described two processing modes will be described. In the “Rip While Print” mode, printing is executed sequentially starting from pages for which the image data rendering processing is complete. For this reason, there is an advantage in that the amount of time from when the image forming apparatus starts the processing of the print data to when the first page is printed (FPOT: First Print Output Time) is shorter in comparison to the case of the “Rip Then Print” mode. Also, the “Rip While Print” mode is advantageous in that the amount of processing time from when the image forming apparatus starts processing of the print data to when all of the print data is printed is also shorter in comparison to the “Rip Then Print” mode.
However, there are cases in which image data that requires a large amount of time for the rendering processing is included in the print data. Processing print data including this kind of image data using the “Rip While Print” mode is disadvantageous in that the speed of the image data rendering processing becomes a bottleneck and print processing cannot be executed at the original speed. In other words, because printing does not start until the image data rendering processing of each page is complete, the printing apparatus cannot execute the print processing at the PPM (pages per minute) of maximum capability. Also, because a gap occurs between pages when the speed of the print processing decreases, in the case of using an electrophotographic printer engine, for example, there is a higher likelihood that the temperature of a fixing unit will decrease during printing, making temperature adjustment necessary, and a decrease in printing efficiency may also be incurred. Thus, even when the print processing is started, there is a risk that executing the print processing in a state in which the printing apparatus cannot exhibit its capability to the maximum will lead to a decrease in productivity.
On the other hand, the “Rip Then Print” mode is disadvantageous in that FPOT is certainly slower in comparison to the “Rip While Print” mode as described above. However, in the case of processing print data including image data that takes time in the image data rendering processing as well, the speed of the print processing does not decrease. In other words, in the “Rip Then Print” mode, any kind of print data can be printed at the maximum speed that the printer engine is capable of once the print processing starts. Also, for example, by performing copying processing and performing tasks such as sheet setting and calibration with the printing apparatus in the period from when the image data rendering processing ends to when the print processing is started, it is possible to achieve an improvement in the efficiency of printing the rendered image data.
Thus, the suitability of the “Rip While Print” mode and the “Rip Then Print” mode changes depending on the print data. However, it is difficult to determine which processing mode is suitable by merely glancing at the print data. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2010-629 discloses that rendering processing for several pages of image data is performed starting from the beginning of a print job, and based on the result thereof, a printing apparatus automatically selects one of the above-described processing modes.
However, the above-described conventional technique does not designate a processing mode that is suitable for the entire print job, and depending on the print data included in the print job, there have been cases in which a processing mode not intended by the user is selected. Also, in particular, upon re-printing print data that was printed before, in some cases, the user has the experience of the previous time of printing and therefore can determine which processing mode is suitable for the printing. In view of this, it has also been proposed that the user is allowed to select the processing mode using an operation setting menu of the printing apparatus so that the user can select a desired processing mode. However, in this case as well, in order to switch the processing mode for each piece of print data, the user needs to change the operation setting of the printing apparatus each time, which is extremely inconvenient for the user.